lots of flow,400w 20k's. some of my zoo's are loosing there POP. no growth issuse just the color is not as intense as it was. example- i have red ring jokers. the ring is gone and the purple+green skirt is looking bland/muddy. feed oyster eggs once a week(don't no if this helps),little of rods food. just thouht i'd bounce it off the zoo experts. thanks for your help

MUCHO REEF

01/01/2009, 09:34 AM

I'm no expert, but I'll try to help.

1. How long after you purchased them did they begin to lose their "POP"?

2. Where were they placed in reference to height in your tank?

3. Did anything else fade in your tank?

4. How old are your bulbs?

Bulb, ballast and choice of wattage can all have a positive or negative impact on coloration. Why? If you happen to have a polyp/frag/colony which dwells in deeper water in the wild, and you placed it high under those dual 4oo watt bulbs, there's a great chance you will experience fading and/or bleaching and in some cases mortality.

Also, if those polyps were newly received polyps from a system which was drastically different than yours and not properly light acclimated, faded and/or bleaching, change in coloration will occur.
By that I mean, if the previous owner had them placed low under 250 watters and you placed them high under those 400 watters, that will also cause a color shift. I truly think this might be your issue.

400's will yield great/intense shimmering coloration, but there's a trade off, heat issues and possible color shifts if a lower light polyp is placed to close to those 400's.

I hope I'm wrong, but this sounds like what you are experiencing. Maybe you could shed some more light on this for us, Good luck by the way. If you feel the above is true, try moving them lower and leave them there for a few weeks and see what happens. With 400's over your tank, it can't hurt. Just my 2 cents.

Mucho Reef

mfinn

01/01/2009, 09:47 AM

I've noticed zoanthids start changing color/appearance when the lighting is changed to something not what they are use to or something way more that they are use to, or can handle.
Since you have 400 watt lights I would suspect the light is a little too intense.
Many of the web sites we buy our stuff from use 400 watt lights, which really makes the corals look great when the picture is taken, but they usually don't have them for long periods of time like the hobbiest does.
I'd also suggest you give your zoanthids a little more distance and shade from those bulbs.

jeninjohnk

01/01/2009, 04:32 PM

ok -slow typer. they are on the bottom of the tank. not shaded. tried to shade them to get more color and seem to make worst. thewere fine for about 2 months. on of my favorite zoo's because the color was so intense. i have stardust PE that went from a 150 10k to my 400 20k and didn't miss a beat. got 2 kinds of "tubs blue" both bottom 1/3-look great. the reason why i stressing about these is,i have a nice PPE that is morphing alittle(whitish ring just inside the skirt) and same thing just getting dull. i don't get the INDIRECT light thing either.its in the light or not. was think about the vit C thing. but would rather not add anthing i don't need.

theJiggyfly

01/01/2009, 10:52 PM

I have around 40 types of zoa and agree with mucho. 250's do a better job than 400's .My colors were much more intense when I ran 250's but now that I have 400's I see some very strange and cool color shifts and nearly everything morphs. I have morphed one yellow polyp into a near look alike of sopranos.

MUCHO REEF

01/03/2009, 09:07 AM

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14057636#post14057636 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jeninjohnk
ok -slow typer. they are on the bottom of the tank. not shaded. tried to shade them to get more color and seem to make worst. thewere fine for about 2 months. on of my favorite zoo's because the color was so intense. i have stardust PE that went from a 150 10k to my 400 20k and didn't miss a beat. got 2 kinds of "tubs blue" both bottom 1/3-look great. the reason why i stressing about these is,i have a nice PPE that is morphing alittle(whitish ring just inside the skirt) and same thing just getting dull. i don't get the INDIRECT light thing either.its in the light or not. was think about the vit C thing. but would rather not add anthing i don't need.

I'm still convinced that your issue is bulb age or the jump from 150's to 400's, even thought the reaction to the 400's was delayed. Did you happen to add fresh carbon prior to the color shift? Adding or using fresh carbon on a system which hasn't run carbon before or on old carbon systems which has lost it's filtering capacity, can cause a color shift it corals. Why, how? Fresh carbon polishes the water and removes light distracting yellowish compounds which creates much cleaner, clearer water which then allows light to better penetrate through to the substrate. This instant and sudden change in water clarity can and will cause a color shift. It is well publicized and documented.

I would slowly acclimate everything with windrow screening in the future and ask prior to any future purchases if the owner knows if the new acquisitions are shallow water or deep water polyps and then place them in your tank accordingly. How high off the water surface are your 400 watt MH's?

I hope this helps, good luck.

Mucho Reef

dtpollard

01/03/2009, 10:38 AM

One more recommendation. I feed the frozen Cyclopeeze. It says it has natural color enhancers and I have very good color. Maybe try it instead of DT's.

jeninjohnk

01/04/2009, 09:00 AM

lights are 14" bulb to water w/ lumenbright reflectors

ZoaManiac527

01/05/2009, 08:06 AM

jeninjohnk if you want to send me your zoas and see if I can get them to pop in my tank I will do that for you.....LOL
I dont have to much to say to help you out, But agree with what been said so far.
Good Luck and for me in my tank, Color disapears alot faster than it comes back! Patience will reward you. Once you find out where your zoas like to be placed.

LoudProudNPunk

01/05/2009, 03:28 PM

I have ran 400 watt halide with a 14k bulb over my 45 gallon zoanthid reef with great sucess. I do however aclimate all of my corals to the high light. Most zoanthids are a shallow, high light coral, and if aclimated after being under low light while in captivity will thrive under 400 watts, IME.

THEUNION1

01/06/2009, 04:50 AM

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14060092#post14060092 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by theJiggyfly
I have around 40 types of zoa and agree with mucho. 250's do a better job than 400's .My colors were much more intense when I ran 250's but now that I have 400's I see some very strange and cool color shifts and nearly everything morphs. I have morphed one yellow polyp into a near look alike of sopranos.
Just got home from an insanely long day/night at work so forgive me if im just tired and not understanding but... You say 250w is better but you like the outcome of 400w!? Does this mean 250w "is" better but you like the 400w more or...? Just learnin not tryin to pry. :)

Ncastro1981

01/06/2009, 10:22 AM

I had a similar issue. looked at the vitamin c thread and started doseing buffered c.great results... jmo